Improvement in corn-planters



I B. BOWER.

Seed-Dropp er. I

Patented Nov. 27, 1860.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN BOWER, OF MILLERSBU RG, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 30,713, dated November 27, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BOWER, of Millersburg, in the county of Holmes and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gorn-Droppers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a view of the top.

Like letters denote like parts in the figures.

My improvement relates to a corn-dropper that can be held in the hand with the hoe, so arranged with a slide and levers that a certain number of grains of corn (no more or less) will drop into a hill, which are then covered with the hoe.

In the figures, A represents the vessel that contains the corn, which is inversely bell-- shaped, and is large enough to hold sufficient corn, and of such a size as to be convenient to carry in the hand.

13 is the lid or cover, that slides on and 0d the opening where the corn is put in the vessel.

In the lower part of the vessel A, in the inside, is the slide F, that extends out a little beyond the end of the vessel, and nearthecenter of which is a hole, D, of suflicient size to hold four or five grains of corn, that in operation is brought over the tube J, where they fallout. Above this slide are the piecesE and G, secured to the sides of the vessel. The piece E does not extend quite to the hole D, and forms an inclined plane on the top,so that all the grains, when the vesselis nearly empty, will more readily slide into the hole D. On the inside of the piece G is arranged a hair brush, H, the piece G being cut out on menuder side, as shown at G, Fig. 2, to render the brush flexible.

J is a tube or cylinder in the lower part of the vessel and forms a part of it, which is used for the purpose of guiding the grain as it falls out.

K is the long arm ot'the lever M, having its 'fulcrum at L, and is at right angles to the short arm N. This lever is connected to the end of the slide F by the connecting-rod I.

L is a spring that presses against the slide,

the upper end of which passes spirally around the rod L, that forms the fulcrum of the lever M. The lever M is connected to the lever B, secured to the handle O-by the connectingrod 3?, extending from short arm N of the lever M to the short arm 0 of the lever B. T is the long arm of the lever R, to which the power is applied.

The manner in which this corn-dropper 0perates is described as follows: It can be held by the handle 0 in the hand with the hoe, and, when the hill is prepared for the corn, by pressing the thumb against the lever B at T the levers and slide take the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, which brings the hole D, with the grains of corn in it, over the tube J, the brush H being pliable. If any of the grains are above the levelof the slide, they will pass easily under or else be brushed off, leaving the requisite number in the hole D, from which they pass into the tube J, which serves as a guide, and fall into the ground. The spring L causes the slide to return to its place when the pressure is removed from the lever.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The vessel A, in combination with the slide F, levers M and R, and connecting-rods I and P, or their equivalents, when these several partsare constructed, arranged, and operated as andfor the purpose set forth.

B. BOWER.

Witnesses:

H. YERGIN, H. H. YERGIN. 

